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(Birds trilling)
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Downloaded from
YTS.MX
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(Traffic murmuring) (Cars beeping)
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- There's different translations,
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Official YIFY movies site:
YTS.MX
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but roughly it means work
hard, leave luck to heaven.
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- Just super interesting,
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'cause I don't think a lot of people
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think about where the
name Nintendo came from.
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(Gentle music) (Fire crackling)
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- [Narrator] Greatness
always starts with an idea.
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The idea should remain malleable
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to create something of longevity.
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It is ever changing,
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and yet remains
faithful to its core values,
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to bring positive change,
to bring hope, to bring fun.
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(Uplifting music)
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- [Speaker] I have a
wonderful electronic invention
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I want you to see, it
looks something like this.
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- [Computer voice] 3, 2, 1, game begin.
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(Lively music)
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(Playful music)
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(Video reel rasping)
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- [Narrator] On September 23rd, 1889,
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Fusajiro Yamauchi began
manufacturing Hanafuda,
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Japanese playing cards of floral design.
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Fusajiro was born in Kyoto
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and it was here that he
established Nintendo Koppai,
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Koppai meaning playing cards in Japanese.
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During such time,
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a widespread ban on playing
cards swept through Japan
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due to their ties with gambling,
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foreign trade, and usage by the Yakuza.
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(Video reel rasping) (Gentle music)
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- Nintendo is one of the world's
biggest gaming companies.
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They're a Japanese company
and they've actually been going
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for well over a hundred years now.
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They started making playing cards,
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but they really reached their stride
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in the eighties and nineties,
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when they started releasing Arcade machines
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and then home consoles.
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And that was about the same time as well
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when we got introduced
to their biggest franchises,
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like "Mario and Luigi",
"legend of Zelda" "and Kirby".
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(Upbeat music)
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- As you can see,
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they're a bit smaller than
the western playing cards
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that we are used to,
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and they're printed with
beautiful flower patterns
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and scenes from nature.
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(Film reel rasping)
(Upbeat music continues)
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- Nintendo's earliest and best customers
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were the Japanese mafia, the Yakuza.
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They ran lots of illegal gambling dens
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and they needed playing cards.
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And because no one wanted cheating going on
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every game started
with a new pack of cards.
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So Nintendo had a great business early on
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because these gangsters would buy cards,
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they'd open the cards, play a game,
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throw 'em away, get new set playing cards.
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So it was a good business to get into.
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(Upbeat lively music)
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- [Narrator] Yamauchi found great success
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in his newfound company.
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Before long, he had
established a new shop in Osaka
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and began to develop
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a more comprehensive array of card games.
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It was in 1929 when
yamauchi decided to step down
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from the company, passing
the business to his son-in-law,
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Sekiryo Kaneda, who adopted
the name Sekiryo yamauchi
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in respect of the family.
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Fusajiro remained
uninvolved with the company
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for the remainder of his life,
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eventually passing away from a stroke
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in his home city of Kyoto,
on January 1st, 1940.
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- And the founder of the
company continued until 1929
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when his son-in-law, Sekiryo Kaneda,
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who took the name yamauchi as well,
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took over the company and
kind of professionalized it,
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improved the manufacturing processes,
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and started manufacturing
western style playing cards.
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- [Video narrator] War has struck again.
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(Airplane purring)
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(Lively music)
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- After world war ii Japan was in ruins.
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It was occupied most,
there wasn't much food,
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the buildings were flattened.
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I mean, the country had to
rebuild from absolute scratch.
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And from that came this kind of, you know,
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essentially a new start,
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it tried to move into
electronics and kind of,
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that was really kind of where
Japan found a new future
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post-war.
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(Video reel rasping)
(Lively music continues)
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- [Narrator] The years
following world war ii
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allowed Japan to further
its industrialization.
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Markets for electronics were established
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alongside the rise of
strip mills for iron and steel.
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Among such technological innovations,
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were transfer machines
for the automobile industry,
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automatic control systems
in new steam power stations,
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00:05:03,270 --> 00:05:06,445
and catalytic cracking
in oil refining industries.
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(Video reel rasping)
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- Akihabara is an
electronics district in Tokyo,
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and it came like the
hub of electronics shops.
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You'd have these kind
of multi-story arcades
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and shops selling all kinds of electronics.
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It was really kind of very,
kind of geeky mecca if you like.
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You know, if you were into
electronics and you are in Tokyo,
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you're gonna make a beeline for that area.
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- [Narrator] After the death of Sekiryo,
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Hiroshi yamauchi, the grandson of fusajiro
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was ordered to step up
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and assume the mantle of company president.
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Being young and inexperienced,
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Hiroshi suffered some initial backlash
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from the company's employees.
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- In 1949, Sekiryo became ill,
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called up his grandson to his hospital bed
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and said, "okay, you
give up your law degree
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and take over Nintendo from me."
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That was Hiroshi yamauchi.
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And over the course of the next 50 years,
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he was destined to turn Nintendo
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into a multinational conglomerate.
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But at the beginning, it wasn't so easy.
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(Gentle music)
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- [Narrator] Strikes would take place
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to test the new president's
dedication to the role,
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and firmly Hiroshi would make a stand.
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He chose to fire a handful of employees
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and set his eyes on the future.
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With a traditional imperialist demeanor,
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Hiroshi ran the company
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intending to keep up
with the changing times.
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The first step,
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was to develop a new
style of plastic playing cards
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influenced by western markets.
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However, due to Japan's strict restrictions
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on unsanctioned gambling,
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the plastic and Hanafuda cards
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were now struggling to make a profit.
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Luckily, the company
now called Nintendo Kurata
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made a licensing deal with Walt Disney
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to merge the new plastic
cards into family oriented games,
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with a small booklet
outlining the many games
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one could play with the cards.
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The new product would
sell 600,000 units in one year,
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allowing Nintendo to
dominate the card game market
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in its own country.
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- They also had a deal with Disney
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that allowed them to
make Disney playing cards.
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- That had Disney characters on them.
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And so this sort of made Nintendo
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kind of take a little side step
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into manufacturing things for children,
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wherein they discovered
there's a lot of money to be made
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here.
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And so that was another stepping stone
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on the way to them creating video games,
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which at that time were
basically considered toys.
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- [Narrator] Once again, the
company name was changed
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to the Nintendo company limited,
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and the business was made public
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with Hiroshi yamauchi as its chairman.
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- So in the beginning,
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Hiroshi Yamauchii was only 21 years old,
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and the workers in Nintendo
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didn't necessarily take
him entirely seriously.
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He was really ambitious
and really ruthless.
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He fired anyone that disagreed with him.
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- [Narrator] Visiting
Cincinnati in the United States
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provided Hiroshi with some disappointing
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00:08:08,370 --> 00:08:10,087
yet valuable information.
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He'd gone to examine
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the world's largest
manufacturer of playing cards,
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the us playing card company.
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However, on his arrival,
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a small office and factory greeted him.
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To Hiroshi, the scale of the facility
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represented the success
of the playing card industry,
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and there wasn't much to be seen.
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(Upbeat music)
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Concerned for the company's future,
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Hiroshi returned to Japan
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in search of new ways to
ensure the longevity of Nintendo.
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- After Nintendo had established themselves
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making these playing cards,
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they tried a bunch of different
things before they landed
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on what would eventually
make them so successful.
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So they tried a whole
range of different companies,
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including taxis and even love hotels.
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- He went into the food
business making instant rice,
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and he went into the taxi business.
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And that one seemed to go okay
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until there was a labor revolt,
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and that was the end of that idea.
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- So by the early seventies,
Nintendo was struggling.
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It spent a fortune trying
all these businesses,
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getting nowhere, and had a lot of debt.
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00:09:13,650 --> 00:09:14,887
- [Narrator] The outlandish ventures
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proved unsuccessful for the business
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and were soon disbanded.
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00:09:18,750 --> 00:09:21,333
The company was on the brink of bankruptcy.
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Desperately searching for ideas,
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00:09:24,420 --> 00:09:28,317
Hiroshi spotted a factory
engineer called Gunpei Yokoi.
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00:09:28,400 --> 00:09:29,977
(Upbeat music)
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00:09:30,060 --> 00:09:30,810
- Around that time,
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Hiroshi visited one of the factories
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and saw Gunpei playing
with an extendable claw,
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00:09:35,970 --> 00:09:37,777
a toy which he'd invented himself.
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00:09:37,860 --> 00:09:40,057
And instead of telling him off for that,
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he was fascinated by this
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and asked him to put these extendable claws
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into manufacture.
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00:09:46,500 --> 00:09:48,157
- [Narrator] The ultra hand was distributed
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and became a massive hit.
220
00:09:50,070 --> 00:09:54,187
Such simplistic ingenuity
spurred new ideas for the company.
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Soon a toy department was made in Kyoto,
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00:09:57,030 --> 00:10:00,427
solely led by Gunpei who
would develop new concepts,
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00:10:00,510 --> 00:10:03,137
such as the love tester and the light gun.
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00:10:03,220 --> 00:10:04,455
(Upbeat music)
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00:10:04,538 --> 00:10:07,684
♪ Love tester ♪
226
00:10:07,767 --> 00:10:09,277
♪ love tester ♪
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00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:10,777
- [Narrator] By the 1960s,
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00:10:10,860 --> 00:10:13,987
Nintendo had solidified
itself as a significant player
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00:10:14,070 --> 00:10:15,367
in the toy market.
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00:10:15,450 --> 00:10:17,437
The early seventies came rolling in,
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and with it the idea of a video game
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00:10:19,890 --> 00:10:21,547
was being conceptualized.
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00:10:21,630 --> 00:10:23,886
- Around that time in the early seventies,
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video games were
becoming a really big thing.
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00:10:27,217 --> 00:10:29,407
"Pong" had come out in 1972
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and suddenly video games were cool.
237
00:10:32,160 --> 00:10:34,237
- [Narrator] Atari became
the first in the race,
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00:10:34,320 --> 00:10:37,357
releasing "pong" in 1972.
239
00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:38,947
It was inspired by a game
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developed by physicist William Higinbotham.
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00:10:41,850 --> 00:10:44,647
Atari leap towards mainstream distribution,
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giving the public a
groundbreaking discovery,
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which took America by storm.
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00:10:49,620 --> 00:10:52,027
Nintendo had to react fast.
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Hiroshi hired employees
from sharp electronics
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00:10:55,050 --> 00:10:56,467
to develop a new system
247
00:10:56,550 --> 00:10:59,677
that could compete with the
emerging video game consoles.
248
00:10:59,760 --> 00:11:02,797
Soon in cooperation
with Mitsubishi electric,
249
00:11:02,880 --> 00:11:07,880
the TV color 6 was made
and distributed in June, 1977.
250
00:11:08,245 --> 00:11:08,995
(Video reel rasping)
251
00:11:09,078 --> 00:11:11,857
- So after Nintendo had been
going for quite a long time,
252
00:11:11,940 --> 00:11:13,417
they really started to branch out
253
00:11:13,500 --> 00:11:16,147
into the burgeoning gaming world.
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00:11:16,230 --> 00:11:16,980
So at the time,
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00:11:17,063 --> 00:11:19,417
Arcade machines were
hugely popular around the world.
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00:11:19,500 --> 00:11:22,717
Atari had already been
producing them for quite a while.
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00:11:22,800 --> 00:11:24,667
Classics like "pong" had been around
258
00:11:24,750 --> 00:11:26,047
for a little bit of time,
259
00:11:26,130 --> 00:11:28,777
but they were really
starting to take off in Japan,
260
00:11:28,860 --> 00:11:30,877
in America, and in Europe.
261
00:11:30,960 --> 00:11:34,747
So Nintendo decided that
they would try and get in on this
262
00:11:34,830 --> 00:11:37,327
really expanding market as well.
263
00:11:37,410 --> 00:11:38,467
And when they did,
264
00:11:38,550 --> 00:11:41,647
they really worked on how
they were going to make a game
265
00:11:41,730 --> 00:11:42,787
that would stand out.
266
00:11:42,870 --> 00:11:46,447
- But it wasn't actually meant
to be Nintendo's console.
267
00:11:46,530 --> 00:11:51,007
Mitsubishi had created it for
another company that went bust
268
00:11:51,090 --> 00:11:53,647
and decided to give Nintendo a call,
269
00:11:53,730 --> 00:11:55,837
see if they'd put it out instead.
270
00:11:55,920 --> 00:11:58,867
And that's how Nintendo
got into video games.
271
00:11:58,950 --> 00:12:01,087
- So Nintendo's very first console,
272
00:12:01,170 --> 00:12:03,667
games console was
actually the "color TV-game".
273
00:12:03,750 --> 00:12:08,750
It was a very, very simple
device, but it paved the way.
274
00:12:08,910 --> 00:12:13,910
I think Shigeru Miyamoto,
who would go on to make
275
00:12:14,460 --> 00:12:16,747
some of Nintendo's most important games,
276
00:12:16,830 --> 00:12:19,777
did actually work on the "color TV-game".
277
00:12:19,860 --> 00:12:22,267
I think he designed like the outer casing
278
00:12:22,350 --> 00:12:24,007
or something really random like that.
279
00:12:24,090 --> 00:12:27,367
So it paved the way for
one Shigeru Miyamoto
280
00:12:27,450 --> 00:12:30,157
to then go on to design "donkey Kong".
281
00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:30,990
(Upbeat music)
282
00:12:31,073 --> 00:12:31,837
- [Narrator] In response,
283
00:12:31,920 --> 00:12:34,777
Atari returned with the 2600,
284
00:12:34,860 --> 00:12:38,377
popularizing microprocessor
based hardware and games
285
00:12:38,460 --> 00:12:40,867
stored on swappable rom cartridges.
286
00:12:40,950 --> 00:12:43,597
It was the most popular
second generation console
287
00:12:43,680 --> 00:12:46,507
by a large margin
during the time of release.
288
00:12:46,590 --> 00:12:47,737
Nintendo would follow
289
00:12:47,820 --> 00:12:50,527
with four more iterations of the TV color,
290
00:12:50,610 --> 00:12:53,947
and soon both Atari and
Nintendo were being recognized
291
00:12:54,030 --> 00:12:56,287
as big fish in a huge pond.
292
00:12:56,370 --> 00:12:58,496
And competitiveness was on the rise.
293
00:12:58,579 --> 00:13:00,480
(Speaking in a foreign language)
294
00:13:00,563 --> 00:13:03,480
(Computer beeping)
295
00:13:05,580 --> 00:13:08,467
- [Narrator] In response to
America’s growing Arcade market,
296
00:13:08,550 --> 00:13:11,347
hiroshi expanded Nintendo into the us,
297
00:13:11,430 --> 00:13:14,024
releasing new titles such as "radar scope",
298
00:13:14,107 --> 00:13:16,357
"space fever", and "sheriff".
299
00:13:16,440 --> 00:13:18,397
Though effective in the Japanese market,
300
00:13:18,480 --> 00:13:21,577
the games weren't financially
successful in America.
301
00:13:21,660 --> 00:13:25,387
To counter this, hiroshi
turned to Shigeru Miyamoto.
302
00:13:25,470 --> 00:13:28,327
And upon deliberation,
"donkey Kong" was made,
303
00:13:28,410 --> 00:13:31,338
becoming a smash hit in both countries.
304
00:13:31,421 --> 00:13:34,088
(Playful music)
305
00:13:39,870 --> 00:13:41,437
- The Arcade machine that they came out
306
00:13:41,520 --> 00:13:42,487
with was "donkey Kong",
307
00:13:42,570 --> 00:13:45,517
which is obviously one of
their most famous franchises,
308
00:13:45,600 --> 00:13:48,249
and starred the main character of Jumpman,
309
00:13:48,332 --> 00:13:51,007
who was originally actually a carpenter.
310
00:13:51,090 --> 00:13:52,417
But he would eventually become
311
00:13:52,500 --> 00:13:56,407
our most beloved Nintendo character, Mario,
312
00:13:56,490 --> 00:13:58,387
who's actually a plumber now.
313
00:13:58,470 --> 00:14:00,877
But the idea was that
as he was a carpenter,
314
00:14:00,960 --> 00:14:04,567
the level was based
around kind of like a workman
315
00:14:04,650 --> 00:14:06,577
sort of environment,
316
00:14:06,660 --> 00:14:09,547
where he's dodging
barrels from a big gorilla
317
00:14:09,630 --> 00:14:11,857
also called donkey Kong.
318
00:14:11,940 --> 00:14:13,387
And this just took off across the world.
319
00:14:13,470 --> 00:14:16,477
It was a really fantastic Arcade machine,
320
00:14:16,560 --> 00:14:18,187
and kids loved to play it.
321
00:14:18,270 --> 00:14:19,687
And that was really the start
322
00:14:19,770 --> 00:14:22,537
of how Nintendo managed to
dominate the gaming market
323
00:14:22,620 --> 00:14:23,936
at that time.
324
00:14:24,019 --> 00:14:26,686
(Playful music)
325
00:14:34,539 --> 00:14:37,122
(Upbeat music)
326
00:14:43,770 --> 00:14:45,937
- So Shigeru Miyamoto
327
00:14:46,020 --> 00:14:51,020
is probably one of the most
important video game designers
328
00:14:51,390 --> 00:14:52,140
there's ever been.
329
00:14:52,223 --> 00:14:56,407
He is a producer, a creative director,
330
00:14:56,490 --> 00:14:59,407
a game developer, a game designer,
331
00:14:59,490 --> 00:15:04,147
and he created much of
Nintendo's early output.
332
00:15:04,230 --> 00:15:06,877
So he created "Mario",
he created "donkey Kong",
333
00:15:06,960 --> 00:15:09,037
he created "the legend of Zelda".
334
00:15:09,120 --> 00:15:11,977
So his contribution to the games industry
335
00:15:12,060 --> 00:15:13,927
really can't be understated.
336
00:15:14,010 --> 00:15:16,777
- He's kind of like the
Michelangelo of video games,
337
00:15:16,860 --> 00:15:17,647
if you like.
338
00:15:17,730 --> 00:15:20,947
He joined Nintendo out of art school
339
00:15:21,030 --> 00:15:24,007
and really bought kind of, you know,
340
00:15:24,090 --> 00:15:25,987
the whole Nintendo style as we know it,
341
00:15:26,070 --> 00:15:28,987
really kind of emerged
from him and what he did.
342
00:15:29,070 --> 00:15:34,070
And he always wanted to make
games that appeal to everyone,
343
00:15:34,200 --> 00:15:36,607
you know, they were never aimed at kids,
344
00:15:36,690 --> 00:15:38,887
they were never aimed purely adults.
345
00:15:38,970 --> 00:15:41,857
It was about games for everyone to enjoy,
346
00:15:41,940 --> 00:15:44,797
and games that were very
much about joy, you know,
347
00:15:44,880 --> 00:15:47,767
and happiness, it was
kind of a very kind of bright,
348
00:15:47,850 --> 00:15:50,197
optimistic kind of style, he brought.
349
00:15:50,280 --> 00:15:51,517
- [Narrator] Hiroshi instituted
350
00:15:51,600 --> 00:15:54,337
three separate innovation
and development facilities
351
00:15:54,420 --> 00:15:55,957
under the Nintendo banner.
352
00:15:56,040 --> 00:15:58,357
This unique method would
allow each department
353
00:15:58,440 --> 00:16:00,637
to outplay the other within the company,
354
00:16:00,720 --> 00:16:04,177
constantly guaranteeing
new innovative results.
355
00:16:04,260 --> 00:16:07,777
In 1979, Gunpei Yokoi conceived the idea
356
00:16:07,860 --> 00:16:09,367
of a handheld video game,
357
00:16:09,450 --> 00:16:12,397
while sitting on the bullet
train on a business trip.
358
00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:13,837
- So around 1979,
359
00:16:13,920 --> 00:16:16,207
the story goes that Gunpei was commuting
360
00:16:16,290 --> 00:16:18,577
and he saw on the train
Japanese businessmen
361
00:16:18,660 --> 00:16:21,307
playing with lcd calculators.
362
00:16:21,390 --> 00:16:22,687
- At that time you have to remember,
363
00:16:22,770 --> 00:16:24,817
there's not much entertainment
you can carry with you.
364
00:16:24,900 --> 00:16:28,387
You can have a newspaper,
a magazine, a book.
365
00:16:28,470 --> 00:16:29,587
If you don't have any of those,
366
00:16:29,670 --> 00:16:31,567
you can stare out the window.
367
00:16:31,650 --> 00:16:33,847
So there's not much choice of what to do.
368
00:16:33,930 --> 00:16:36,277
And he notices further down the carriage,
369
00:16:36,360 --> 00:16:38,493
there's this guy with a pocket calculator,
370
00:16:39,390 --> 00:16:42,816
which is, you know, pretty
high tech for the late seventies,
371
00:16:42,899 --> 00:16:45,683
and he's just playing
around with the calculator
372
00:16:45,766 --> 00:16:47,557
to pass the time.
373
00:16:47,640 --> 00:16:49,717
And so Gunpei kind of thinks, hang on,
374
00:16:49,800 --> 00:16:53,497
what if I took technology
of the pocket calculator,
375
00:16:53,580 --> 00:16:55,297
turned it into a game?
376
00:16:55,380 --> 00:16:56,947
That would be something people could take,
377
00:16:57,030 --> 00:16:58,927
and it could kind of help commuters
378
00:16:59,010 --> 00:17:02,017
on their boring journeys
have something fun to do.
379
00:17:02,100 --> 00:17:04,446
- And that's who created the game & watch.
380
00:17:04,530 --> 00:17:08,646
- Nintendo first entered the
kind of handheld gaming world
381
00:17:08,730 --> 00:17:09,936
with the game & watch,
382
00:17:10,020 --> 00:17:13,597
which was kind of an led games console,
383
00:17:13,680 --> 00:17:16,926
not even what we would
consider a console today really.
384
00:17:17,010 --> 00:17:20,047
Each of them was only
preloaded with one game,
385
00:17:20,130 --> 00:17:23,557
so you couldn't put multiple
games into that console.
386
00:17:23,640 --> 00:17:25,027
But it was still really popular.
387
00:17:25,109 --> 00:17:27,936
People liked having a
handheld gaming device
388
00:17:28,020 --> 00:17:29,539
to take with them.
389
00:17:29,622 --> 00:17:32,872
(Arcade games beeping)
390
00:17:37,200 --> 00:17:37,950
- [Narrator] The seventies
391
00:17:38,033 --> 00:17:41,077
would become known as the
golden age of Arcade games.
392
00:17:41,160 --> 00:17:42,817
People crowded around machines,
393
00:17:42,900 --> 00:17:46,117
placing coins on the
screen to reserve their turn.
394
00:17:46,200 --> 00:17:47,647
The eighties came rolling in,
395
00:17:47,730 --> 00:17:51,217
and with it a massive
advancement in gaming technology.
396
00:17:51,300 --> 00:17:54,157
But with it came many
more consoles manufactured
397
00:17:54,240 --> 00:17:56,527
to capitalize on the rise of gaming
398
00:17:56,610 --> 00:17:58,717
from "pong" clones to home computers,
399
00:17:58,800 --> 00:18:01,597
most of which weren't
functioning as promised.
400
00:18:01,680 --> 00:18:05,497
Before long the market was
saturated in off-brand consoles
401
00:18:05,580 --> 00:18:08,977
and choosing one which work
as intended became a minefield.
402
00:18:09,060 --> 00:18:12,067
This climate would be known
as the video game crash,
403
00:18:12,150 --> 00:18:14,737
aka the Atari shock.
404
00:18:14,820 --> 00:18:15,937
- In the eighties,
405
00:18:16,020 --> 00:18:19,417
video games felt like they
were just reaching new heights
406
00:18:19,500 --> 00:18:21,727
and just getting more and more popular.
407
00:18:21,810 --> 00:18:23,197
But then actually there was something
408
00:18:23,280 --> 00:18:25,297
that's known as the video game crash.
409
00:18:25,380 --> 00:18:27,157
What had happened was a lot of companies
410
00:18:27,240 --> 00:18:30,157
were just churning out
kind of lower quality games
411
00:18:30,240 --> 00:18:32,677
really quickly to try and hit that market,
412
00:18:32,760 --> 00:18:35,467
and make money out of it basically.
413
00:18:35,550 --> 00:18:37,207
So this led to a crash
414
00:18:37,290 --> 00:18:39,997
where people didn't really
have faith in video games
415
00:18:40,080 --> 00:18:41,377
for a little while.
416
00:18:41,460 --> 00:18:44,347
Nintendo introduced a
thing called the seal of quality,
417
00:18:44,430 --> 00:18:46,117
which just meant that
they were gonna guarantee
418
00:18:46,200 --> 00:18:47,947
that the games they were producing
419
00:18:48,030 --> 00:18:50,887
were gonna reach a
really high quality level
420
00:18:50,970 --> 00:18:52,837
and meant that people could have faith
421
00:18:52,920 --> 00:18:54,527
in the games they were buying again.
422
00:18:54,610 --> 00:18:56,167
(Upbeat music)
423
00:18:56,250 --> 00:18:59,797
- [Narrator] The year is
1983, summer in Japan.
424
00:18:59,880 --> 00:19:01,957
The video game recession is at its height
425
00:19:02,040 --> 00:19:03,607
with companies going bankrupt
426
00:19:03,690 --> 00:19:08,257
and global video game
stock depleting by almost 97%.
427
00:19:08,340 --> 00:19:11,377
After years of work,
Nintendo released a product
428
00:19:11,460 --> 00:19:14,317
which would change the
video game climate forever.
429
00:19:14,400 --> 00:19:16,237
It is called the Famicom,
430
00:19:16,320 --> 00:19:20,268
known to the west as the
Nintendo entertainment system.
431
00:19:20,351 --> 00:19:23,269
(Static rasping)
432
00:19:23,352 --> 00:19:26,019
(Lively music)
433
00:19:30,240 --> 00:19:32,677
- [TV speaker] Nintendo, a
quick loading cartridge system
434
00:19:32,760 --> 00:19:35,317
with over 60 of the hottest titles ever.
435
00:19:35,400 --> 00:19:37,747
Games like "Batman",
a life and death struggle
436
00:19:37,830 --> 00:19:41,737
to end the evil jokers reign of
terror and save Gotham city.
437
00:19:41,820 --> 00:19:43,567
Games like "super Mario brothers",
438
00:19:43,650 --> 00:19:45,577
a battle to rescue the mushroom Princess
439
00:19:45,660 --> 00:19:47,377
from the evil koopa turtles.
440
00:19:47,460 --> 00:19:49,057
Go for the joystick for extra control
441
00:19:49,140 --> 00:19:51,693
or go to infrared for remote control.
442
00:19:52,650 --> 00:19:55,507
The hottest games are on Nintendo,
443
00:19:55,590 --> 00:19:58,867
the world's number one games system.
444
00:19:58,950 --> 00:19:59,700
(Game beeping)
445
00:19:59,783 --> 00:20:03,067
- Nintendo had developed the
Famicom, the family computer,
446
00:20:03,150 --> 00:20:04,537
and this was a video game system
447
00:20:04,620 --> 00:20:06,157
that had more than just one game on it.
448
00:20:06,240 --> 00:20:08,167
You could actually swap out the cartridges
449
00:20:08,250 --> 00:20:10,237
and play lots of different games on it.
450
00:20:10,320 --> 00:20:11,857
So Japan was protected
451
00:20:11,940 --> 00:20:14,795
from this international
video game market crash
452
00:20:14,878 --> 00:20:17,737
because Nintendo was
doing really well in Japan
453
00:20:17,820 --> 00:20:20,697
with the Famicom from 1983 to 1985.
454
00:20:20,780 --> 00:20:24,367
- The Famicom console was
released in Japan originally
455
00:20:24,450 --> 00:20:26,257
and was called the Famicom.
456
00:20:26,340 --> 00:20:29,017
But it then came out
in the us and in Europe
457
00:20:29,100 --> 00:20:33,667
as the Nintendo entertainment
system, or the NES,
458
00:20:33,750 --> 00:20:37,267
that was their first really
popular at home console.
459
00:20:37,350 --> 00:20:39,577
It became the thing to
have across the world,
460
00:20:39,660 --> 00:20:41,047
especially for kids.
461
00:20:41,130 --> 00:20:41,880
- But at that time,
462
00:20:41,963 --> 00:20:44,497
the industry was very
skeptical of video games.
463
00:20:44,580 --> 00:20:46,147
This enormous market crash
464
00:20:46,230 --> 00:20:48,487
had damaged the reputation of video games.
465
00:20:48,570 --> 00:20:50,287
And so they went to great lengths
466
00:20:50,370 --> 00:20:52,297
to distinguish their new system
467
00:20:52,380 --> 00:20:55,327
from all of the video game
consoles that had gone before.
468
00:20:55,410 --> 00:21:00,307
At that time, 1985, vhs and
betamax videos were cool.
469
00:21:00,390 --> 00:21:03,037
And so they made the
Nintendo entertainment system
470
00:21:03,120 --> 00:21:07,912
look like a vhs, with cassettes
that went in sideways.
471
00:21:07,995 --> 00:21:12,995
(Upbeat music) (Speaking
a foreign language)
472
00:21:17,930 --> 00:21:19,327
- [Narrator] The NES became a staple
473
00:21:19,410 --> 00:21:22,027
for the development of video
games and their longevity
474
00:21:22,110 --> 00:21:24,367
in an otherwise uncertain climate.
475
00:21:24,450 --> 00:21:26,707
The system was affordable and reliable,
476
00:21:26,790 --> 00:21:29,527
being marketed with the
Nintendo seal of quality,
477
00:21:29,610 --> 00:21:32,163
countering concerns for potential faults.
478
00:21:33,437 --> 00:21:36,187
(Playful music)
479
00:21:40,215 --> 00:21:41,977
With the release of "the legend of Zelda"
480
00:21:42,060 --> 00:21:44,857
and "super metroid"
Nintendo became synonymous
481
00:21:44,940 --> 00:21:47,227
with its characters and iconography.
482
00:21:47,310 --> 00:21:49,957
It also provided the
public with the zapper,
483
00:21:50,040 --> 00:21:53,257
the first widely distributed
light gun designed for games
484
00:21:53,340 --> 00:21:55,867
such as "duck hunt" and "hogan's alley".
485
00:21:55,950 --> 00:21:58,357
However, nothing would prepare Nintendo
486
00:21:58,440 --> 00:22:01,808
for what might have been its
most significant decision yet.
487
00:22:01,891 --> 00:22:03,014
(Video game beeping)
488
00:22:03,097 --> 00:22:04,829
"Super Mario brothers".
489
00:22:04,912 --> 00:22:07,662
(Playful music)
490
00:22:18,286 --> 00:22:19,507
- And really, I don't think you can mention
491
00:22:19,590 --> 00:22:21,847
all of those early Nintendo games
492
00:22:21,930 --> 00:22:24,487
without mentioning the soundtracks to them.
493
00:22:24,570 --> 00:22:29,570
Koji Kondo the composer to all
of those early Nintendo games
494
00:22:30,450 --> 00:22:35,407
is just a master, I think
at creating those sounds
495
00:22:35,490 --> 00:22:37,417
and effects and melodies
496
00:22:37,500 --> 00:22:40,439
that just get stuck in your head forever.
497
00:22:40,522 --> 00:22:43,189
(Playful music)
498
00:22:44,820 --> 00:22:48,517
- Nintendo's first big
success was "donkey Kong".
499
00:22:48,600 --> 00:22:50,710
It was a coin operated Arcade game,
500
00:22:50,793 --> 00:22:54,127
and that really made its name worldwide.
501
00:22:54,210 --> 00:22:55,717
It just became huge.
502
00:22:55,800 --> 00:22:58,837
It was one of the first
sort of platform games.
503
00:22:58,920 --> 00:23:00,667
Introduced the world to Mario
504
00:23:00,750 --> 00:23:03,307
or everybody knew him
as Jumpman at the time.
505
00:23:03,390 --> 00:23:06,487
And it was a big hit
everywhere in the world.
506
00:23:06,570 --> 00:23:08,857
It was big in Japan, it
was big in North America,
507
00:23:08,940 --> 00:23:09,877
big in Europe.
508
00:23:09,960 --> 00:23:12,097
So that really established Nintendo
509
00:23:12,180 --> 00:23:14,287
as a force in video games.
510
00:23:14,370 --> 00:23:15,967
And then a few years later,
511
00:23:16,050 --> 00:23:18,487
it brings out the Nintendo
entertainment system.
512
00:23:18,570 --> 00:23:22,267
It's first proper home video game console.
513
00:23:22,350 --> 00:23:25,414
And that has "super Mario
bros", which is, you know,
514
00:23:25,497 --> 00:23:29,437
a wonderful game even
now, huge at the time.
515
00:23:29,520 --> 00:23:31,177
And that really established Nintendo
516
00:23:31,260 --> 00:23:34,281
as the leader of the video game market.
517
00:23:34,364 --> 00:23:35,114
(Gentle music)
518
00:23:35,197 --> 00:23:37,117
- I mean, Nintendo became
so popular around the world
519
00:23:37,200 --> 00:23:41,977
because of how initially simple,
520
00:23:42,060 --> 00:23:44,557
but how gorgeously complex
521
00:23:44,640 --> 00:23:47,497
and gorgeously well designed its games are,
522
00:23:47,580 --> 00:23:49,507
I mean, you look at things like,
523
00:23:49,590 --> 00:23:52,927
let's take "super Mario",
you know, the level 1-1
524
00:23:53,010 --> 00:23:57,067
for example, I actually spoke
years ago to Shigeru Miyamoto
525
00:23:57,150 --> 00:23:58,777
about how he went about creating this.
526
00:23:58,860 --> 00:24:03,007
In level 1-1 a player will
encounter absolutely everything
527
00:24:03,090 --> 00:24:06,787
that they possibly need to
understand how the game works.
528
00:24:06,870 --> 00:24:11,497
And so in subsequent
levels, it's what they know,
529
00:24:11,580 --> 00:24:14,317
what the game can assume
that they already know about it
530
00:24:14,400 --> 00:24:17,287
is challenged, so the very first, you know,
531
00:24:17,370 --> 00:24:20,017
little bit that Mario runs
along and he jumps up
532
00:24:20,100 --> 00:24:22,867
and he hits the box and
the mushroom comes out,
533
00:24:22,950 --> 00:24:27,067
it's actually very hard for a
player to avoid that mushroom
534
00:24:27,150 --> 00:24:29,737
because the game wants you to run into it
535
00:24:29,820 --> 00:24:32,767
and discover Mario can make himself bigger.
536
00:24:32,850 --> 00:24:35,797
And that's one core mechanic
of the game right there
537
00:24:35,880 --> 00:24:37,957
that you've discovered
without, you know, any tutorials
538
00:24:38,040 --> 00:24:41,043
without being told, you've
just found it out for yourself.
539
00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:44,137
And that's the beauty of a Nintendo game,
540
00:24:44,220 --> 00:24:48,307
they want, I think at the core
of every good Nintendo game
541
00:24:48,390 --> 00:24:51,633
is the joy of discovery,
the joy of curiosity.
542
00:24:52,650 --> 00:24:53,857
And that is,
543
00:24:53,940 --> 00:24:56,917
I think that's inherently
Shigeru Miyamoto thing.
544
00:24:57,000 --> 00:24:59,587
You know, that's "legend of Zelda" to a T,
545
00:24:59,670 --> 00:25:00,847
it's all about discovery,
546
00:25:00,930 --> 00:25:02,527
it's all about going out into the world
547
00:25:02,610 --> 00:25:04,057
and seeing what you can find,
548
00:25:04,140 --> 00:25:05,587
and seeing what you can uncover.
549
00:25:05,670 --> 00:25:08,167
- In the late eighties, I
was living in America.
550
00:25:08,250 --> 00:25:10,747
I didn't have a Nintendo console myself,
551
00:25:10,830 --> 00:25:14,077
but after school I was so
excited to walk to Danny's house
552
00:25:14,160 --> 00:25:16,017
and played "duck hunt" with the light gun
553
00:25:16,100 --> 00:25:18,127
on his Nintendo entertainment system.
554
00:25:18,210 --> 00:25:20,407
There was nothing more exciting.
555
00:25:20,490 --> 00:25:23,347
And "super Mario brothers" blew my mind.
556
00:25:23,430 --> 00:25:25,777
- There's just so many fascinating elements
557
00:25:25,860 --> 00:25:29,947
to early Nintendo design,
I mean, Mario, right?
558
00:25:30,030 --> 00:25:33,397
Take for example, Mario,
Mario's got his blue overalls,
559
00:25:33,480 --> 00:25:35,227
he's got his red hat,
he's got his mustache,
560
00:25:35,310 --> 00:25:37,027
he's got a big nose.
561
00:25:37,110 --> 00:25:39,397
All of those things that make Mario, Mario,
562
00:25:39,480 --> 00:25:44,458
were done just because it
made him easier to animate.
563
00:25:44,541 --> 00:25:47,077
It was just cutting corners essentially.
564
00:25:47,160 --> 00:25:48,487
And he was blue and red
565
00:25:48,570 --> 00:25:53,197
so that he would stand out on
the background, number one,
566
00:25:53,280 --> 00:25:57,427
he had a hat so that they
wouldn't have to animate any hair.
567
00:25:57,510 --> 00:25:59,887
He had a mustache so that
you didn't have to see his mouth
568
00:25:59,970 --> 00:26:01,657
and he wouldn't have to talk or, you know,
569
00:26:01,740 --> 00:26:04,417
make signs or do anything like that.
570
00:26:04,500 --> 00:26:09,500
Every little thing about that
it's just very clever design.
571
00:26:10,500 --> 00:26:13,057
And that was, again, that was Miyamoto,
572
00:26:13,140 --> 00:26:15,727
that was early Nintendo to a T.
573
00:26:15,810 --> 00:26:16,560
I always remember
574
00:26:16,643 --> 00:26:19,117
you described goombas
as suspicious mushrooms,
575
00:26:19,200 --> 00:26:20,707
'cause you have the
mushrooms that you know,
576
00:26:20,790 --> 00:26:23,107
let you power up and
you've got one extra life,
577
00:26:23,190 --> 00:26:24,667
and then the goombas are suspicious
578
00:26:24,750 --> 00:26:27,217
'cause they're a little
bit shady and you know,
579
00:26:27,300 --> 00:26:29,117
I always find that very
funny 'cause it's like,
580
00:26:29,200 --> 00:26:31,027
"hmm, suspicious mushrooms.
581
00:26:31,110 --> 00:26:33,953
Okay, how does one go
about making one of those?"
582
00:26:34,036 --> 00:26:36,536
(Funky music)
583
00:26:49,610 --> 00:26:52,777
(Video game beeping)
584
00:26:54,733 --> 00:26:55,969
- [Narrator] In 1989,
585
00:26:56,052 --> 00:26:59,137
Gunpei Yokoi revealed his latest invention,
586
00:26:59,220 --> 00:27:03,097
the game boy released in
Japan alongside "Tetris",
587
00:27:03,180 --> 00:27:04,507
the game boy would birth
588
00:27:04,590 --> 00:27:08,474
the now $90 billion pokemon franchise.
589
00:27:08,557 --> 00:27:11,307
(Playful music)
590
00:27:14,940 --> 00:27:18,007
This revolutionary console was a smash hit
591
00:27:18,090 --> 00:27:21,757
and began developing more
complex handheld consoles.
592
00:27:21,840 --> 00:27:24,097
- There were handheld video game consoles
593
00:27:24,180 --> 00:27:26,017
that allowed you to play
lots of different games
594
00:27:26,100 --> 00:27:29,047
by swapping cartridges,
like the Atari lynx,
595
00:27:29,130 --> 00:27:32,497
and the game gear and
of course, the game boy.
596
00:27:32,580 --> 00:27:34,897
The game boy was
different to its competitors.
597
00:27:34,980 --> 00:27:37,147
Its competitors had color screens.
598
00:27:37,230 --> 00:27:41,883
- So the game boy was,
even for 1989, quite primitive.
599
00:27:42,930 --> 00:27:45,753
It was black and white,
its rivals were in color.
600
00:27:46,619 --> 00:27:50,677
You know, it seemed
quite retro even in 1989.
601
00:27:50,760 --> 00:27:54,967
But because it was a
handheld and it was primitive,
602
00:27:55,050 --> 00:27:57,637
it could use less batteries.
603
00:27:57,720 --> 00:28:00,367
And that meant it was far
more portable and reliable.
604
00:28:00,450 --> 00:28:04,567
So basically, Nintendo beat
much more advanced competition
605
00:28:04,650 --> 00:28:07,252
by having something that
was much more practical.
606
00:28:07,335 --> 00:28:09,817
- Gunpei Yokoi's design philosophy
607
00:28:09,900 --> 00:28:13,207
was lateral thinking
with withered technology.
608
00:28:13,290 --> 00:28:15,727
And what that meant is
that he didn't want to design
609
00:28:15,810 --> 00:28:18,037
a cutting edge video game system.
610
00:28:18,120 --> 00:28:21,397
He wanted to use technology
that was already well used
611
00:28:21,480 --> 00:28:23,407
and already cheap.
612
00:28:23,490 --> 00:28:25,777
And that has been
Nintendo's most successful
613
00:28:25,860 --> 00:28:27,614
design philosophy ever since.
614
00:28:27,697 --> 00:28:30,457
- [Narrator] "Super Mario"
became loved by millions
615
00:28:30,540 --> 00:28:34,117
and slowly but surely sealed
itself as the brand mascot
616
00:28:34,200 --> 00:28:35,617
for the company.
617
00:28:35,700 --> 00:28:37,897
When Nintendo was dominating the market,
618
00:28:37,980 --> 00:28:40,627
a new competitor joined the scene, Sega,
619
00:28:40,710 --> 00:28:43,240
with the release of the sg-1000.
620
00:28:43,323 --> 00:28:44,587
- It's quite expensive though,
621
00:28:44,670 --> 00:28:49,348
and it's better then watching TV I think.
622
00:28:49,431 --> 00:28:51,809
- I'm addicted to it, "street fighter".
623
00:28:51,892 --> 00:28:54,337
- I like fighting and adventure.
624
00:28:54,420 --> 00:28:56,467
- Sega's got more better games,
625
00:28:56,550 --> 00:29:00,000
but Nintendos more sort off fantasy games.
626
00:29:04,080 --> 00:29:05,047
- [TV reporter] British market alone
627
00:29:05,130 --> 00:29:07,987
is worth over £500 million a year.
628
00:29:08,070 --> 00:29:11,077
Video games outsell music cds,
629
00:29:11,160 --> 00:29:13,117
and so far there seems to be room
630
00:29:13,200 --> 00:29:16,455
for more than one Victor Ludorum.
631
00:29:16,538 --> 00:29:17,288
- In the nineties,
632
00:29:17,371 --> 00:29:20,197
Nintendo were right at
the top of their popularity.
633
00:29:20,280 --> 00:29:21,724
The game boy was out,
634
00:29:21,807 --> 00:29:24,277
the Nintendo entertainment system was out,
635
00:29:24,360 --> 00:29:26,587
but Sega were also hot at their heels
636
00:29:26,670 --> 00:29:29,677
trying to really recapture
some of that market.
637
00:29:29,760 --> 00:29:33,547
So while Nintendo had Mario,
the friendly Italian plumber,
638
00:29:33,630 --> 00:29:38,227
Sega had Sonic the hedgehog,
a cool blue hedgehog.
639
00:29:38,310 --> 00:29:40,867
And the contrast was that Mario games
640
00:29:40,950 --> 00:29:43,927
were often kind of seen
as more family friendly,
641
00:29:44,010 --> 00:29:46,567
more kind of cuddly in a way.
642
00:29:46,650 --> 00:29:50,227
And they were quite slow
paced compared to Sonic,
643
00:29:50,310 --> 00:29:52,897
which really sold itself on speed.
644
00:29:52,980 --> 00:29:56,017
So the Sonic games
really positioned themselves
645
00:29:56,100 --> 00:29:59,557
as quite edgy, and that really
spoke to a lot of teenagers
646
00:29:59,640 --> 00:30:00,937
and kids at the time,
647
00:30:01,020 --> 00:30:02,767
which meant that Nintendo and Sega
648
00:30:02,850 --> 00:30:05,587
ended up kind of battling
it out with their mascots
649
00:30:05,670 --> 00:30:07,563
for console supremacy.
650
00:30:08,580 --> 00:30:10,597
- [TV narrator] Danita
Stokes, president of H.A.G.
651
00:30:10,680 --> 00:30:11,437
- It's bad enough
652
00:30:11,520 --> 00:30:13,627
that Sega Genesis has
the most 16-bit games,
653
00:30:13,710 --> 00:30:15,397
but this new "Sonic the hedgehog",
654
00:30:15,480 --> 00:30:17,797
oh, he really dusts my doilies.
655
00:30:17,880 --> 00:30:19,747
They say he's incredibly fast.
656
00:30:19,830 --> 00:30:22,207
Well, what's the hurry, Mr? Hmm?
657
00:30:22,290 --> 00:30:25,267
And about his attitude, smarty pants.
658
00:30:25,350 --> 00:30:27,598
Why can't he be more
like that nice boy Mario?
659
00:30:27,681 --> 00:30:29,063
(Lips sputtering) Oh.
660
00:30:29,146 --> 00:30:30,646
(Wind whooshing) Little brat.
661
00:30:31,530 --> 00:30:33,487
- [TV speaker] Now get "Sonic" free
662
00:30:33,570 --> 00:30:35,167
when you buy a Sega Genesis system
663
00:30:35,250 --> 00:30:38,047
at its new price of 149.99.
664
00:30:38,130 --> 00:30:41,467
- The rivalry between Sega
and Nintendo was aggressive.
665
00:30:41,550 --> 00:30:43,357
They really were going for it at that time.
666
00:30:43,440 --> 00:30:45,937
Like they just wanted to corner the market.
667
00:30:46,020 --> 00:30:49,512
So Sega had a slogan on their advertising
668
00:30:49,595 --> 00:30:52,027
that was pretty pointed.
669
00:30:52,110 --> 00:30:55,807
It was, "Sega does what nintendon't."
670
00:30:55,890 --> 00:30:57,937
- It is what we call eyeballing the kid
671
00:30:58,020 --> 00:30:59,947
and actually going up to
him saying, "this is Nintendo,
672
00:31:00,030 --> 00:31:00,907
this is what it does.
673
00:31:00,990 --> 00:31:02,947
Go on, have a go, what do you think?"
674
00:31:03,030 --> 00:31:03,997
And of course, added to that,
675
00:31:04,080 --> 00:31:06,577
there's the imagery of
Nintendo, which is very important,
676
00:31:06,660 --> 00:31:08,257
which the kids also find important.
677
00:31:08,340 --> 00:31:09,727
It's a kind of a badge brand
678
00:31:09,810 --> 00:31:12,367
because there's a
playground battle out there,
679
00:31:12,450 --> 00:31:13,597
Nintendo v Sega.
680
00:31:13,680 --> 00:31:15,640
And it's important to us that
most kids in the playgrounds
681
00:31:15,723 --> 00:31:17,420
are talking about Nintendo.
682
00:31:17,503 --> 00:31:18,253
(Static rasping)
683
00:31:18,336 --> 00:31:19,687
- Really what we have here is a format war,
684
00:31:19,770 --> 00:31:22,147
just like vhs and beta in video.
685
00:31:22,230 --> 00:31:25,537
And of course every Nintendo
sold from our point of view
686
00:31:25,620 --> 00:31:29,107
is one person out there
not buying Sega software.
687
00:31:29,190 --> 00:31:31,657
And this market is all about
razors and razor blades,
688
00:31:31,740 --> 00:31:32,617
if you like, in other words,
689
00:31:32,700 --> 00:31:33,817
we make the money on the software
690
00:31:33,900 --> 00:31:35,167
rather than on the hardware.
691
00:31:35,250 --> 00:31:38,197
So it's important that we get
as big a user base out there
692
00:31:38,280 --> 00:31:39,314
as possible.
693
00:31:39,397 --> 00:31:42,564
(Upbeat funky music)
694
00:31:48,000 --> 00:31:50,347
- So Sega during the eighties
695
00:31:50,430 --> 00:31:53,887
was always the number
two console manufacturer,
696
00:31:53,970 --> 00:31:57,757
and by number two, it
had 10% at the market,
697
00:31:57,840 --> 00:32:01,327
Nintendo had 90%, so
you know, it is not even,
698
00:32:01,410 --> 00:32:04,387
it's number two, but the gap is enormous.
699
00:32:04,470 --> 00:32:08,587
So as the nineties began,
Sega gets ready it's new console,
700
00:32:08,670 --> 00:32:11,167
the mega drive or the Sega Genesis,
701
00:32:11,250 --> 00:32:14,977
and decides it's gonna
fight again and try and win.
702
00:32:15,060 --> 00:32:17,467
And it launches a couple of years ahead
703
00:32:17,550 --> 00:32:19,567
of the super Nintendo.
704
00:32:19,650 --> 00:32:23,857
And basically markets
itself at older teenagers,
705
00:32:23,940 --> 00:32:26,077
and with the helper
Sonic, it breaks through,
706
00:32:26,160 --> 00:32:27,394
it sells a few million
707
00:32:27,477 --> 00:32:31,297
before Nintendo has even
released its own console.
708
00:32:31,380 --> 00:32:34,627
So certainly it's gone from
this kind of distant number two
709
00:32:34,710 --> 00:32:36,638
to an actual serious force.
710
00:32:36,721 --> 00:32:40,357
And so the early nineties
were this kind of power struggle
711
00:32:40,440 --> 00:32:43,027
between Nintendo and Sega.
712
00:32:43,110 --> 00:32:46,057
Sega kind of aiming for
a slightly older audience.
713
00:32:46,140 --> 00:32:49,026
Nintendo aiming for a
slightly younger audience.
714
00:32:49,109 --> 00:32:52,216
In the end, Nintendo won out.
715
00:32:52,299 --> 00:32:55,897
Nintendo eventually
managed to outsell Sega.
716
00:32:55,980 --> 00:32:59,627
But you know, it was close
run for a good couple of years.
717
00:32:59,710 --> 00:33:04,710
(Lively music) (Video game chattering)
718
00:33:07,230 --> 00:33:08,257
- [Narrator] The nineties began
719
00:33:08,340 --> 00:33:11,407
with the release of the super
Nintendo entertainment system
720
00:33:11,490 --> 00:33:14,857
and super Famicom
transcending from 8-bit game play
721
00:33:14,940 --> 00:33:16,237
to 16-bit.
722
00:33:16,320 --> 00:33:19,237
The new console found
great success across seas
723
00:33:19,320 --> 00:33:22,747
and competed with Sega’s
new console, the Genesis.
724
00:33:22,830 --> 00:33:25,267
It was here that both Nintendo and Sega
725
00:33:25,350 --> 00:33:26,887
were considered at war
726
00:33:26,970 --> 00:33:29,827
with Sega releasing the new
hit, "Sonic the hedgehog".
727
00:33:29,910 --> 00:33:30,660
- Gotta go.
728
00:33:30,743 --> 00:33:32,107
Hey guy, you're the first serious gamer
729
00:33:32,190 --> 00:33:32,940
I've seen all morning.
730
00:33:33,023 --> 00:33:35,827
Check this out, brand
new 16-bit super Nintendo
731
00:33:35,910 --> 00:33:38,152
with "super Mario world", wow.
732
00:33:38,235 --> 00:33:38,985
- [Customer] What's this one?
733
00:33:39,068 --> 00:33:41,797
- Oh, this is "Sonic the
hedgehog" from Sega Genesis.
734
00:33:41,880 --> 00:33:44,645
Hey, look at these radical colors, huh?
735
00:33:44,728 --> 00:33:46,177
- [Customer] Wow, Sonic's fast too.
736
00:33:46,260 --> 00:33:47,827
- No, overhear.
737
00:33:47,910 --> 00:33:49,864
- [Customer] I like Genesis
and it costs a lot less.
738
00:33:49,947 --> 00:33:51,187
- But kid, that game there...
739
00:33:51,270 --> 00:33:52,875
- [Customer] I'll take Sonic and Genesis.
740
00:33:52,958 --> 00:33:54,074
(Person chuckling) - I knew that.
741
00:33:54,157 --> 00:33:55,717
- [TV speaker] "Sonic the
hedgehog", more action,
742
00:33:55,800 --> 00:33:59,721
more speeds, Sega Genesis,
it's a whole lot more for less.
743
00:33:59,804 --> 00:34:02,471
(Lively music)
744
00:34:09,900 --> 00:34:12,400
- [Narrator] With "super
Mario 64", "golden eye",
745
00:34:12,483 --> 00:34:15,516
and "the legend of
Zelda: The ocarina of time"
746
00:34:15,600 --> 00:34:19,657
the Nintendo 64 saw the
threshold made by the SNES
747
00:34:19,739 --> 00:34:23,123
and hiroshi looked to surpass
it in a grandiose fashion.
748
00:34:23,206 --> 00:34:25,507
It was a statement for 3D gameplay
749
00:34:25,590 --> 00:34:27,607
and character maneuverability.
750
00:34:27,690 --> 00:34:29,947
However, though Atari had beaten Nintendo
751
00:34:30,030 --> 00:34:33,667
in the race for dynamic 3D
gameplay, Nintendo discovered
752
00:34:33,750 --> 00:34:36,757
how to flawlessly execute
the newfound dimensions
753
00:34:36,840 --> 00:34:38,407
and utilize vector models
754
00:34:38,489 --> 00:34:41,137
to enhance the gameplay experience.
755
00:34:41,219 --> 00:34:41,969
- When I was a kid,
756
00:34:42,053 --> 00:34:45,637
I didn't really even know that
the job of game Dev existed,
757
00:34:45,719 --> 00:34:48,427
but I've always been someone
who loved to play games.
758
00:34:48,510 --> 00:34:50,047
When I was younger,
759
00:34:50,130 --> 00:34:53,617
we actually at home weren't
allowed to have a Nintendo 64
760
00:34:53,699 --> 00:34:55,056
or the PlayStation 1,
761
00:34:55,139 --> 00:34:57,483
which were the massive
consoles at the time.
762
00:34:58,470 --> 00:35:01,087
But I had friends who
did have those consoles
763
00:35:01,170 --> 00:35:03,997
and I would constantly go
over to their houses to play them.
764
00:35:04,080 --> 00:35:05,317
We also had a PC at home
765
00:35:05,400 --> 00:35:08,047
where I could play really chuggy games
766
00:35:08,130 --> 00:35:10,477
on our not very good computer.
767
00:35:10,560 --> 00:35:11,377
- In the mid nineties,
768
00:35:11,460 --> 00:35:13,597
gunpei Yokoi was still working for Nintendo
769
00:35:13,680 --> 00:35:16,627
and he wanted to develop
a virtual reality system.
770
00:35:16,710 --> 00:35:18,637
This was way ahead of its time.
771
00:35:18,720 --> 00:35:21,757
He developed what eventually
became the virtual boy,
772
00:35:21,840 --> 00:35:23,137
but it didn't go as planned.
773
00:35:23,220 --> 00:35:25,417
Nintendo didn't give
him enough time to finish
774
00:35:25,500 --> 00:35:26,617
the development,
775
00:35:26,700 --> 00:35:29,707
and the final product he
wasn't happy with it at all.
776
00:35:29,790 --> 00:35:32,107
In the end, instead of
being a portable headset
777
00:35:32,190 --> 00:35:34,327
like gunpei Yokoi had envisaged,
778
00:35:34,410 --> 00:35:36,097
it was actually table mounted,
779
00:35:36,180 --> 00:35:37,927
and you played it by
kind of leaning forward
780
00:35:38,010 --> 00:35:39,768
and looking into this lens.
781
00:35:39,851 --> 00:35:42,607
And you could see these 3D graphics,
782
00:35:42,690 --> 00:35:44,737
it was only one color, everything was red.
783
00:35:44,820 --> 00:35:47,557
Playing the virtual boy gave
you massive headaches,
784
00:35:47,640 --> 00:35:50,184
the games were awful, it was a total flop.
785
00:35:50,267 --> 00:35:52,597
Gunpei Yokoi was really upset about this
786
00:35:52,680 --> 00:35:55,297
because this was not the
system he had imagined.
787
00:35:55,380 --> 00:35:57,037
And as a kind of apology,
788
00:35:57,120 --> 00:35:58,597
he developed the game boy pocket
789
00:35:58,680 --> 00:36:00,517
before leaving Nintendo to go off
790
00:36:00,600 --> 00:36:03,183
and start his own product
development company.
791
00:36:04,080 --> 00:36:05,704
- [Narrator] In march, 1997,
792
00:36:05,787 --> 00:36:08,317
the Nintendo 64 launched in Europe
793
00:36:08,400 --> 00:36:11,827
and sold 2.3 million
units in the first year.
794
00:36:11,910 --> 00:36:14,077
Nintendo introduced the rumble pack,
795
00:36:14,160 --> 00:36:17,137
which enabled players to
feel the realistic vibrations
796
00:36:17,220 --> 00:36:18,607
contained in the game.
797
00:36:18,690 --> 00:36:22,207
In the early 2000s,
Nintendo began its expansion,
798
00:36:22,290 --> 00:36:25,327
establishing offices all around the globe.
799
00:36:25,410 --> 00:36:28,357
The following years saw
the release of the game cube,
800
00:36:28,440 --> 00:36:32,437
building upon the technical
prowess displayed by the N64.
801
00:36:32,520 --> 00:36:35,167
The game boy would
continue to undergo upgrades,
802
00:36:35,250 --> 00:36:38,527
and soon there would be six
more iterations of the console,
803
00:36:38,610 --> 00:36:40,593
each possessing unique qualities.
804
00:36:41,610 --> 00:36:44,497
- So after the game boy
had been so successful,
805
00:36:44,580 --> 00:36:46,177
they released the game boy color,
806
00:36:46,260 --> 00:36:47,557
which was kind of a step up.
807
00:36:47,640 --> 00:36:51,877
It was smaller, it allowed
you to play games in color,
808
00:36:51,960 --> 00:36:54,817
which was obviously really exciting.
809
00:36:54,900 --> 00:36:55,837
And then after that,
810
00:36:55,920 --> 00:36:57,667
they also released the game boy advance.
811
00:36:57,750 --> 00:36:59,527
So they'd been kind of
on the game boy model
812
00:36:59,610 --> 00:37:00,397
for quite a while,
813
00:37:00,480 --> 00:37:01,897
and they really knew what they were doing
814
00:37:01,980 --> 00:37:03,517
with handheld consoles.
815
00:37:03,600 --> 00:37:06,187
- [Narrator] Not long following
the release of the game cube
816
00:37:06,270 --> 00:37:09,547
hiroshi yamauchi stepped
down as president of Nintendo.
817
00:37:09,630 --> 00:37:11,977
After an incredibly successful run,
818
00:37:12,060 --> 00:37:14,407
instigating the company as a household name
819
00:37:14,490 --> 00:37:15,637
for tech development,
820
00:37:15,720 --> 00:37:18,697
hiroshi would be replaced by Satoru Iwata.
821
00:37:18,780 --> 00:37:20,617
Iwata's succession would mean the end
822
00:37:20,700 --> 00:37:23,737
of the yamauchi family's
long-running ownership.
823
00:37:23,820 --> 00:37:27,547
- In the early 2000s, Satoru
Iwata made some changes
824
00:37:27,630 --> 00:37:29,197
to the way that Nintendo was run.
825
00:37:29,280 --> 00:37:31,507
Hiroshi yamauchi had always created
826
00:37:31,590 --> 00:37:33,457
a very competitive atmosphere,
827
00:37:33,540 --> 00:37:36,487
but Satoru iwata's approach
was completely different.
828
00:37:36,570 --> 00:37:39,397
He created a very collaborative atmosphere.
829
00:37:39,480 --> 00:37:41,347
Satoru iwata's business style
830
00:37:41,430 --> 00:37:44,587
was very influenced by
the blue ocean strategy.
831
00:37:44,670 --> 00:37:45,907
He didn't want to compete
832
00:37:45,990 --> 00:37:47,857
with all of these video game consoles
833
00:37:47,940 --> 00:37:50,557
that were at the cutting
edge of graphic technology.
834
00:37:50,640 --> 00:37:52,717
He wanted to create a new market,
835
00:37:52,800 --> 00:37:54,526
he wanted to do things differently.
836
00:37:54,609 --> 00:37:55,687
(Gentle music)
837
00:37:55,770 --> 00:37:58,657
- [Narrator] In 2013, hiroshi passed away.
838
00:37:58,740 --> 00:38:01,053
His legacy, however, would live on.
839
00:38:04,590 --> 00:38:06,337
Retaining a similar presentation
840
00:38:06,420 --> 00:38:08,197
to the original game & watch,
841
00:38:08,280 --> 00:38:10,057
2004 brought the release
842
00:38:10,140 --> 00:38:13,027
of Nintendo's highest selling console ever.
843
00:38:13,110 --> 00:38:14,677
The Nintendo DS.
844
00:38:14,760 --> 00:38:16,777
- When the Nintendo DS came out,
845
00:38:16,860 --> 00:38:19,507
it had two screens and kind of flipped.
846
00:38:19,590 --> 00:38:22,117
And this meant that you were
able to use the bottom screen
847
00:38:22,200 --> 00:38:25,117
as kind of a touch screen
and the top screen could show
848
00:38:25,200 --> 00:38:26,767
something completely different.
849
00:38:26,850 --> 00:38:28,357
So you had the same kind of controls
850
00:38:28,440 --> 00:38:29,977
that you did on the game boy,
851
00:38:30,060 --> 00:38:32,137
but you were able to do a lot more.
852
00:38:32,220 --> 00:38:33,967
Game designers were able to make games
853
00:38:34,050 --> 00:38:36,187
that really utilized this new tech
854
00:38:36,270 --> 00:38:38,767
and that was incredibly popular.
855
00:38:38,850 --> 00:38:41,947
A lot of shops sold out of the Nintendo DS
856
00:38:42,030 --> 00:38:43,687
when it first came out.
857
00:38:43,770 --> 00:38:46,237
And around the same console generation,
858
00:38:46,320 --> 00:38:47,857
the Nintendo Wii came out.
859
00:38:47,940 --> 00:38:50,497
- So the Wii was really like,
860
00:38:50,580 --> 00:38:51,997
I don't know if anyone expected it
861
00:38:52,080 --> 00:38:53,677
to be as successful as it was.
862
00:38:53,760 --> 00:38:54,547
The funny thing about the Wii
863
00:38:54,630 --> 00:38:58,957
was it wasn't the franchises
that Nintendo was known for,
864
00:38:59,040 --> 00:39:01,357
that were the reason for its success.
865
00:39:01,440 --> 00:39:03,697
I think the real reason for the Wii success
866
00:39:03,780 --> 00:39:05,737
was things like Wii sports.
867
00:39:05,820 --> 00:39:09,487
It was the games that
your granny could play,
868
00:39:09,570 --> 00:39:12,278
you know, the people that
had no gaming knowledge
869
00:39:12,361 --> 00:39:14,527
or vocabulary whatsoever,
870
00:39:14,610 --> 00:39:18,783
they saw this really fun, silly thing.
871
00:39:19,890 --> 00:39:22,087
You know, waggling the
Wiimotes and stuff like that,
872
00:39:22,170 --> 00:39:22,957
like instantly, you know,
873
00:39:23,040 --> 00:39:26,137
you don't have to have
any gaming language at all
874
00:39:26,220 --> 00:39:28,207
to know how to play that.
875
00:39:28,290 --> 00:39:32,373
And so it opened up gaming
to a whole new audience.
876
00:39:34,410 --> 00:39:35,887
You know, it didn't last long
877
00:39:35,970 --> 00:39:39,517
because the Wii U was
horribly marketed and you know,
878
00:39:39,600 --> 00:39:42,937
it couldn't really get that
lightning in a bottle effect
879
00:39:43,020 --> 00:39:44,107
that the Wii had.
880
00:39:44,190 --> 00:39:48,277
But for a moment, yeah, the Wii was huge.
881
00:39:48,360 --> 00:39:50,377
Everyone wanted to
play it, literally everyone.
882
00:39:50,460 --> 00:39:52,297
- If the Nintendo DS was popular,
883
00:39:52,380 --> 00:39:56,287
the Nintendo Wii was
wildly popular at launch.
884
00:39:56,370 --> 00:39:58,897
I actually worked in a
game shop around that time
885
00:39:58,980 --> 00:40:02,017
and we were constantly
sold out of Nintendo Wiis,
886
00:40:02,100 --> 00:40:05,227
they really managed to corner
the market on family gaming,
887
00:40:05,310 --> 00:40:07,507
which is something
Nintendo's always been good at.
888
00:40:07,590 --> 00:40:09,547
But they released a lot of titles
889
00:40:09,630 --> 00:40:13,027
that were aimed at the
whole family and not just kids.
890
00:40:13,110 --> 00:40:16,447
So they had things like
Wii fit and Wii sports,
891
00:40:16,530 --> 00:40:18,847
which had a really low barrier to entry
892
00:40:18,930 --> 00:40:21,547
and adults were often a
little bit more interested in
893
00:40:21,630 --> 00:40:23,467
than the classic Nintendo games.
894
00:40:23,550 --> 00:40:25,747
And I think that meant
that a lot of families saw it
895
00:40:25,830 --> 00:40:27,457
as a real great investment
896
00:40:27,540 --> 00:40:29,137
and something that
they could get for the kids,
897
00:40:29,220 --> 00:40:31,777
but which the adults would play as well.
898
00:40:31,860 --> 00:40:34,297
- [Narrator] The DS Rose to
the top of the gaming world
899
00:40:34,380 --> 00:40:36,427
as the most popular portable console,
900
00:40:36,510 --> 00:40:38,977
thanks to games suitable for everyone.
901
00:40:39,060 --> 00:40:42,644
Players all over Europe made
"animal crossing: Wild world",
902
00:40:42,727 --> 00:40:44,257
"new super Mario brothers",
903
00:40:44,340 --> 00:40:47,137
and "metroid prime hunters" bestsellers.
904
00:40:47,220 --> 00:40:49,897
Including "nintendogs" also boosted sales
905
00:40:49,980 --> 00:40:51,637
as it allowed experimentation
906
00:40:51,720 --> 00:40:54,217
with the new voice recognition software.
907
00:40:54,300 --> 00:40:57,397
Games like "Wario ware:
Smooth moves", "endless ocean",
908
00:40:57,480 --> 00:40:59,947
and "big brain academy:
Wii degree" for the Wii
909
00:41:00,030 --> 00:41:02,047
invited everyone to dive into the fun
910
00:41:02,130 --> 00:41:04,237
regardless of previous experience.
911
00:41:04,320 --> 00:41:06,667
While the arrival of "super Mario galaxy"
912
00:41:06,750 --> 00:41:08,767
and "metroid prime 3: Corruption"
913
00:41:08,850 --> 00:41:11,767
brought cherished Nintendo
franchises back into being,
914
00:41:11,850 --> 00:41:15,397
with the addition of new
features only possible on the Wii.
915
00:41:15,480 --> 00:41:17,227
With the new consoles in place,
916
00:41:17,310 --> 00:41:20,497
the time was right to fall back
from inventing new products
917
00:41:20,580 --> 00:41:22,927
and refining what was already made.
918
00:41:23,010 --> 00:41:26,677
The DS had many upgraded
versions such as the DSi
919
00:41:26,760 --> 00:41:31,173
and eventually the Nintendo
3ds released in 2011.
920
00:41:32,040 --> 00:41:35,917
- The next console that Nintendo
came up with was the Wii U,
921
00:41:36,000 --> 00:41:39,487
a much more powerful console
with high definition graphics.
922
00:41:39,570 --> 00:41:41,767
Nintendo couldn't compete
with these other systems
923
00:41:41,850 --> 00:41:43,927
that had phenomenal graphics.
924
00:41:44,010 --> 00:41:46,057
Also the name Wii U,
925
00:41:46,140 --> 00:41:48,277
people just thought it was
an extension of the Wii,
926
00:41:48,360 --> 00:41:51,067
they didn't realize it was
an entirely new beast.
927
00:41:51,150 --> 00:41:53,737
So the Wii U did not sell well.
928
00:41:53,820 --> 00:41:58,820
- Yeah, the Wii U was
Nintendo's worst selling console.
929
00:41:58,980 --> 00:42:02,017
It was pretty much a disaster financially.
930
00:42:02,100 --> 00:42:04,986
It came off the back of the Wii,
931
00:42:05,069 --> 00:42:08,317
but people didn't really
understand it was a new console.
932
00:42:08,400 --> 00:42:12,517
The idea was to kind of
combine an iPad like tablet
933
00:42:12,600 --> 00:42:14,527
with a games console.
934
00:42:14,610 --> 00:42:17,437
And when they were developing it, you know,
935
00:42:17,520 --> 00:42:19,357
that idea was ahead of its time,
936
00:42:19,440 --> 00:42:22,087
by the time they released
it, it was a bit dated.
937
00:42:22,170 --> 00:42:26,467
It looked like a kind of
Fisher-price version of an iPad.
938
00:42:26,550 --> 00:42:28,837
It never really quite gelled.
939
00:42:28,920 --> 00:42:31,087
It didn't really know what it was.
940
00:42:31,170 --> 00:42:32,564
And consumers looked at it went,
941
00:42:32,647 --> 00:42:35,437
"I dunno what that is or what it's about."
942
00:42:35,520 --> 00:42:39,817
So it was a handy step on
the way to Nintendo switch,
943
00:42:39,900 --> 00:42:41,197
but as a console on its own
944
00:42:41,280 --> 00:42:43,507
it just never quite clicked with anyone.
945
00:42:43,590 --> 00:42:44,917
- [Narrator] Though the
new version of the Wii
946
00:42:45,000 --> 00:42:46,537
underperformed in sales,
947
00:42:46,620 --> 00:42:50,107
it provided a massive step
up in graphic capabilities.
948
00:42:50,190 --> 00:42:51,967
An asset that went under the radar
949
00:42:52,050 --> 00:42:54,307
as it didn't attract the
same broad audience
950
00:42:54,390 --> 00:42:56,557
the original we had done previously.
951
00:42:56,640 --> 00:42:59,857
The Wii U, however, was
the most powerful console
952
00:42:59,940 --> 00:43:02,737
on the home market
before the release of the ps4
953
00:43:02,820 --> 00:43:04,177
and Xbox One.
954
00:43:04,260 --> 00:43:06,037
The game pad was a new idea,
955
00:43:06,120 --> 00:43:08,617
which brought the handheld
advantages of the DS
956
00:43:08,700 --> 00:43:12,457
to a home console and paved
the way for what was to come.
957
00:43:12,540 --> 00:43:17,172
In 2017, we were introduced
to the Nintendo switch.
958
00:43:17,255 --> 00:43:20,422
(Upbeat funky music)
959
00:43:39,771 --> 00:43:41,527
- So the switch is huge.
960
00:43:41,610 --> 00:43:45,157
I mean it was such a success for Nintendo
961
00:43:45,240 --> 00:43:49,717
because Nintendo took
everything that it had learned
962
00:43:49,800 --> 00:43:53,197
from the console market,
from handheld, you know,
963
00:43:53,280 --> 00:43:54,697
from all its handheld expertise,
964
00:43:54,780 --> 00:43:56,557
everything that it had
learned from the game boy,
965
00:43:56,640 --> 00:43:59,707
from the DS, from the 3ds from everything.
966
00:43:59,790 --> 00:44:02,827
And it was like, why
don't we take both of these
967
00:44:02,910 --> 00:44:05,797
and make a console
that literally does both?
968
00:44:05,880 --> 00:44:08,467
And that was just, I mean,
it's just a master move.
969
00:44:08,550 --> 00:44:10,344
Like, and that's what
I love about Nintendo.
970
00:44:10,427 --> 00:44:13,777
Nintendo doesn't really
see itself as a competitor
971
00:44:13,860 --> 00:44:16,297
to PlayStation or Xbox.
972
00:44:16,380 --> 00:44:20,047
All Nintendo is interested
in is interesting innovation,
973
00:44:20,130 --> 00:44:23,887
experimentation and
making games that are fun.
974
00:44:23,970 --> 00:44:26,977
- Nintendo is so known for
innovating with their hardware
975
00:44:27,060 --> 00:44:28,687
and the switch was no different.
976
00:44:28,770 --> 00:44:30,847
All of the big console companies
977
00:44:30,930 --> 00:44:32,767
were coming out with innovations,
978
00:44:32,850 --> 00:44:36,367
but none of them were quite
as different as the switch felt.
979
00:44:36,450 --> 00:44:39,004
It felt like a bit of a natural
progression from the Wii
980
00:44:39,087 --> 00:44:43,477
and the DS, but also
completely new at the same time.
981
00:44:43,560 --> 00:44:44,767
So the thing about the switch
982
00:44:44,850 --> 00:44:47,467
is it can both be a handheld console
983
00:44:47,550 --> 00:44:51,427
or you can put the
handheld screen into a dock
984
00:44:51,510 --> 00:44:53,287
that attaches to your TV
985
00:44:53,370 --> 00:44:55,477
and then use the controllers on the side.
986
00:44:55,560 --> 00:44:59,156
So it's like a home console
and a handheld at the same time.
987
00:44:59,239 --> 00:45:02,677
And that came out with
fantastic games at launch as well.
988
00:45:02,760 --> 00:45:05,064
- I'm a massive fan of Mario games.
989
00:45:05,147 --> 00:45:07,927
I never really played Zelda
much when I was a kid,
990
00:45:08,010 --> 00:45:08,894
but I have to say,
991
00:45:08,977 --> 00:45:13,297
"Zelda: Breath of the wild" is
my favorite game of all time.
992
00:45:13,380 --> 00:45:17,587
It's incredible and that
really helped to sell switches.
993
00:45:17,670 --> 00:45:19,237
- Does the Nintendo switch hold up
994
00:45:19,320 --> 00:45:20,857
in terms of graphical capability
995
00:45:20,940 --> 00:45:25,387
when put alongside the
PlayStation 5 or the Xbox series x?
996
00:45:25,470 --> 00:45:28,657
No, but is it unbelievably fun?
997
00:45:28,740 --> 00:45:29,490
Do people love it?
998
00:45:29,573 --> 00:45:32,389
You know, do people
take it everywhere they go?
999
00:45:32,472 --> 00:45:34,897
Absolutely, it has a, you know,
1000
00:45:34,980 --> 00:45:36,997
it doesn't really suffer all that much
1001
00:45:37,080 --> 00:45:39,937
for the amount of games
that it has access to.
1002
00:45:40,020 --> 00:45:41,437
Nintendo's third party support
1003
00:45:41,520 --> 00:45:43,177
has actually never
been better, I don't think
1004
00:45:43,260 --> 00:45:44,197
than with the switch.
1005
00:45:44,280 --> 00:45:46,417
Traditionally, I don't think Nintendo
1006
00:45:46,500 --> 00:45:50,707
was a very friendly third
party development platform.
1007
00:45:50,790 --> 00:45:52,117
It was just a bit more difficult
1008
00:45:52,200 --> 00:45:54,307
to get games onto Nintendo consoles
1009
00:45:54,390 --> 00:45:57,907
than it was for PlayStation and Xbox.
1010
00:45:57,990 --> 00:46:01,297
But the switch is
just, it's just fantastic.
1011
00:46:01,380 --> 00:46:04,747
You know, you can slot it
into its port or to its dock.
1012
00:46:04,830 --> 00:46:06,397
You can pick up where you left off
1013
00:46:06,480 --> 00:46:08,977
seamlessly from where
you were out and about.
1014
00:46:09,060 --> 00:46:10,867
You can transition from being out,
1015
00:46:10,950 --> 00:46:13,507
playing your console
on the train, or wherever
1016
00:46:13,590 --> 00:46:15,787
to going indoors, slotting it in
1017
00:46:15,870 --> 00:46:18,697
and there it is exactly
where you were before.
1018
00:46:18,780 --> 00:46:20,317
It's the perfect console I think,
1019
00:46:20,400 --> 00:46:22,537
for a lot of kids and adults alike
1020
00:46:22,620 --> 00:46:25,417
because if you don't have the time
1021
00:46:25,500 --> 00:46:28,867
or the inclination to
sit down in front of a PC
1022
00:46:28,950 --> 00:46:31,447
or a console in front
of a TV in the evening,
1023
00:46:31,530 --> 00:46:33,367
you want to just, I
don't know, get into bed
1024
00:46:33,450 --> 00:46:36,607
and play your switch, that's
absolutely a thing you can do.
1025
00:46:36,690 --> 00:46:38,287
- [Narrator] The switch was an amalgamation
1026
00:46:38,370 --> 00:46:40,987
of everything Nintendo
had achieved thus far,
1027
00:46:41,070 --> 00:46:45,127
merging the idea of a home
console with a handheld device.
1028
00:46:45,210 --> 00:46:47,437
The system was versatile, ergonomic,
1029
00:46:47,520 --> 00:46:49,357
and capable of handling the stories
1030
00:46:49,440 --> 00:46:51,207
the company wanted to tell.
1031
00:46:51,290 --> 00:46:52,297
(Upbeat music)
1032
00:46:52,380 --> 00:46:55,684
- Nintendo has always been
a pioneer in the gaming world.
1033
00:46:55,767 --> 00:46:58,537
One of the things that
they do that is fantastic
1034
00:46:58,620 --> 00:47:01,807
is they have a real focus on family gaming
1035
00:47:01,890 --> 00:47:04,237
and that's allowed them
to stand out from the crowd
1036
00:47:04,320 --> 00:47:06,367
sometimes when the other companies
1037
00:47:06,450 --> 00:47:08,317
are doing something a little bit different.
1038
00:47:08,400 --> 00:47:10,897
They're really invested in
making games that are fun
1039
00:47:10,980 --> 00:47:13,357
and creative and that everyone can play.
1040
00:47:13,440 --> 00:47:14,587
And the other thing they do
1041
00:47:14,670 --> 00:47:17,287
is that their consoles and their hardware
1042
00:47:17,370 --> 00:47:19,747
is always new and always interesting.
1043
00:47:19,830 --> 00:47:23,047
Sometimes it doesn't land
as well, but when it does,
1044
00:47:23,130 --> 00:47:25,417
it absolutely blows everything else away
1045
00:47:25,500 --> 00:47:27,307
when it comes to innovation.
1046
00:47:27,390 --> 00:47:29,227
- It was really satoru Iwata,
1047
00:47:29,310 --> 00:47:32,317
professionalized Nintendo's
merchandising arm
1048
00:47:32,400 --> 00:47:34,627
and expanded into other areas,
1049
00:47:34,710 --> 00:47:37,417
and created an Nintendo
theme park in Japan.
1050
00:47:37,500 --> 00:47:39,397
And there's now another one in America,
1051
00:47:39,480 --> 00:47:41,257
and of course the "super
Mario brothers" film,
1052
00:47:41,340 --> 00:47:42,804
which I'm very excited about.
1053
00:47:42,887 --> 00:47:47,887
(Playful music) (Photographers chattering)
1054
00:47:52,200 --> 00:47:54,397
One of the reasons I
really love Nintendo games
1055
00:47:54,480 --> 00:47:56,287
is that all of the games
on the other consoles
1056
00:47:56,370 --> 00:47:59,227
really focus on guns
and violence and crime.
1057
00:47:59,310 --> 00:48:01,087
And I mean, these games look fantastic,
1058
00:48:01,170 --> 00:48:02,587
I would love to play them,
1059
00:48:02,670 --> 00:48:04,897
but actually I don't want to get involved
1060
00:48:04,980 --> 00:48:06,157
in all of that violence.
1061
00:48:06,240 --> 00:48:08,437
I love that Nintendo don't do that.
1062
00:48:08,520 --> 00:48:13,057
- Nintendo was a pioneer of
video game quality in consoles.
1063
00:48:13,140 --> 00:48:13,890
I mean,
1064
00:48:13,973 --> 00:48:17,287
it essentially rewrote the video
game console business model
1065
00:48:17,370 --> 00:48:20,437
and saved the video
game industry by doing so.
1066
00:48:20,520 --> 00:48:24,367
It was a pioneer in game design.
1067
00:48:24,450 --> 00:48:29,450
It's attention to the feel
of video game mechanics
1068
00:48:29,671 --> 00:48:32,793
really kind of upped the quality bar.
1069
00:48:33,780 --> 00:48:35,857
You know, game designers
back in the eighties
1070
00:48:35,940 --> 00:48:37,147
were not that great.
1071
00:48:37,230 --> 00:48:40,129
You know, they would make
these punishing games that,
1072
00:48:40,212 --> 00:48:42,877
you know, would make
children cry they were so hard.
1073
00:48:42,960 --> 00:48:45,547
Whereas Nintendo is like,
no, a game should be fair.
1074
00:48:45,630 --> 00:48:48,564
And it seems very obvious to us now
1075
00:48:48,647 --> 00:48:51,007
that a game should be enjoyable,
1076
00:48:51,090 --> 00:48:52,507
not punishing, but you know,
1077
00:48:52,590 --> 00:48:55,837
that's not how people were
making games back then.
1078
00:48:55,920 --> 00:48:59,467
It was a pioneer in broadening
out the video game audience
1079
00:48:59,550 --> 00:49:01,057
with the Wii and the DS.
1080
00:49:01,140 --> 00:49:04,237
Nintendo created the
handheld, you know, game.
1081
00:49:04,320 --> 00:49:07,802
We play iPhone games and Android games now.
1082
00:49:07,885 --> 00:49:10,777
But you know, before
smartphones came along,
1083
00:49:10,860 --> 00:49:13,057
we were playing on Nintendo portables.
1084
00:49:13,140 --> 00:49:16,057
But it's a company that's
really defined video games
1085
00:49:16,140 --> 00:49:17,467
throughout its history.
1086
00:49:17,550 --> 00:49:21,367
It's had an enormous
shaping influence on it.
1087
00:49:21,450 --> 00:49:22,897
And it's still going strong today.
1088
00:49:22,980 --> 00:49:27,097
It's still setting the tone
for a lot of companies.
1089
00:49:27,180 --> 00:49:30,087
Valve steam deck is quite clearly modeled
1090
00:49:30,170 --> 00:49:33,157
on the Nintendo switch in lots of ways,
1091
00:49:33,240 --> 00:49:35,257
you know, there's no escaping it.
1092
00:49:35,340 --> 00:49:37,477
- I think Nintendo brings
up feelings of nostalgia
1093
00:49:37,560 --> 00:49:40,567
because, well, first of
all, I think it, you know,
1094
00:49:40,650 --> 00:49:41,617
it's been around longer
1095
00:49:41,700 --> 00:49:45,127
and when Nintendo was in its early days,
1096
00:49:45,210 --> 00:49:47,497
it was marketing games for children.
1097
00:49:47,580 --> 00:49:49,807
But even now, you know, kids,
1098
00:49:49,890 --> 00:49:52,717
their first console is very
often an Nintendo console.
1099
00:49:52,800 --> 00:49:56,977
I mean, my nephews, they
all have Nintendo switches,
1100
00:49:57,060 --> 00:50:00,757
so they, weirdly, their
nostalgia will extend to Mario
1101
00:50:00,840 --> 00:50:04,117
as you know, plenty of
older gamers does as well.
1102
00:50:04,200 --> 00:50:06,087
But I think it's because, again,
1103
00:50:06,170 --> 00:50:08,707
at the heart of every Nintendo game
1104
00:50:08,790 --> 00:50:12,877
is that childhood childlike
curiosity and wonder
1105
00:50:12,960 --> 00:50:16,237
at the world that's really
what makes their games sing.
1106
00:50:16,320 --> 00:50:18,397
- Well, particularly for people of my age,
1107
00:50:18,480 --> 00:50:20,827
we grew up with Nintendo.
1108
00:50:20,910 --> 00:50:23,287
I'm the perfect age to have been swept up
1109
00:50:23,370 --> 00:50:26,104
by Nintendo's ascendancy in the 1980s
1110
00:50:26,187 --> 00:50:30,097
and it's absolutely an
indelible part of my childhood.
1111
00:50:30,180 --> 00:50:30,930
- I think
1112
00:50:31,013 --> 00:50:34,207
because it's tied into that
feeling of childhood fun,
1113
00:50:34,290 --> 00:50:36,517
it really just evokes
a feeling of nostalgia
1114
00:50:36,600 --> 00:50:39,337
in a lot of people, and
especially people my age.
1115
00:50:39,420 --> 00:50:41,227
- Nintendo's most important legacy
1116
00:50:41,310 --> 00:50:44,043
is saving the video game console industry.
1117
00:50:45,390 --> 00:50:47,066
After Atari’s collapse,
1118
00:50:47,149 --> 00:50:51,423
it was possible that game
consoles would not come back.
1119
00:50:52,650 --> 00:50:54,517
It did look like home computers
1120
00:50:54,600 --> 00:50:56,613
would be where people played games on.
1121
00:50:57,840 --> 00:50:58,957
Nintendo changed that,
1122
00:50:59,040 --> 00:51:01,897
Nintendo said, no, there
is still room for consoles.
1123
00:51:01,980 --> 00:51:04,447
If Nintendo hadn't come
along when they did,
1124
00:51:04,530 --> 00:51:07,383
we'd probably all be
paying on pcs at this point.
1125
00:51:08,615 --> 00:51:10,357
(Upbeat music)
1126
00:51:10,440 --> 00:51:13,237
- [Narrator] Nintendo has
a remarkable philosophy
1127
00:51:13,320 --> 00:51:16,597
to put smiles on the faces
of everyone they touch.
1128
00:51:16,680 --> 00:51:18,127
To this remarkable company,
1129
00:51:18,210 --> 00:51:20,257
which started from humble beginnings,
1130
00:51:20,340 --> 00:51:21,937
making consoles isn't about
1131
00:51:22,020 --> 00:51:24,307
how much processing power they possess,
1132
00:51:24,390 --> 00:51:26,827
it is about the stories themselves.
1133
00:51:26,910 --> 00:51:28,237
It is about the characters
1134
00:51:28,320 --> 00:51:30,787
and open-mindedness of all who play.
1135
00:51:30,870 --> 00:51:33,997
To Nintendo it is all about fun.
1136
00:51:34,080 --> 00:51:36,474
Nothing more, nothing less.
1137
00:51:36,557 --> 00:51:40,057
(Upbeat music continues)
85414
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